2021 Seed Grant Award Problem Statements 

Agriculture / Food Security

Problem #5: Need for low-cost solutions for food storage and transportation in Bangladesh

Country/Region of execution:  Bangladesh
Collaborating Organization: World Concern Development Organization
World Concern, an international relief and development agency founded in 1955, focuses on the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable within society, providing capacity-building for partners, while having the flexibility to respond to disasters through relief and rehabilitation assistance. Currently World Concern is implementing roughly $30 million in programming in its 10 country offices located throughout Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Since 1991, WCDO has received, implemented and administered grants in excess of $59 million from USAID. WCDO headquarters is based in Seattle, WA, and the Bangladesh country office is located in Dakar.
Problem Statement Description:  Bangladesh produces a very good harvest of rice, vegetables, onion, potatoes, chili and other spices in each of its three annual seasons. Unfortunately, farmers sell almost all their produce immediately after the harvest season due to lack of storage facilities and the need for money. The farm gate at the harvest period is usually very low and, in many times, unable to meet the cost of production. Post-harvest loss especially on vegetables and potatoes is a serious problem in Bangladesh. There are no cold storage systems for poor farmers in rural areas of Bangladesh. Moreover, electricity failures are frequent making electric powered cold storage not a feasible solution. Transporting agricultural products to major cities is also a big challenge as Bangladesh experiences heavy traffic throughout the year due to the high population density. Farm produces takes many hours on the road which leads to losses of perishable agricultural products before they can reach the market.  World Concern has been supporting local farmers increase food production and storage to enhance their food production. However, the challenges of storage and poor transportation methods negates these efforts. Consequently, World Concern would like to partner with Purdue University to innovate small-scale farm level cold storage facilities that could be powered by renewable energy as well as an affordable cooler system for closed truck to aid storage and transport of farm produce to the market. This will improve the local agricultural value chains as well as boost local food security. The primary SDG associated with this problem is SDG no 1: No poverty: End poverty in all its forms everywhere since it will target peasant farmers whose main livelihood is agriculture. In addition, the problem will also contribute in achieving SDG no 2: Zero Hunger: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture. Improved storage and transportation of food will ensure increased availability of food at a reduced cost.